FW: Calcium study

[Guest guest]

A friend of mine who is waiting for her DS surgery sent me this. What I

noticed right away is that there is no mention of the type of calcium

supplement the patients in the study were using. Still, it's worth noting

that someone is actually studying post-op nutrition.

~~ Lyn

Bone Loss Associated with Weight Loss After Stomach Reduction Surgery

Women and men who have stomach reduction surgery to lose weight may

be losing bone even when they take daily calcium supplements, putting

them at risk for osteoporosis and bone fracture. These findings from

a University of Pittsburgh study were presented in San Diego on April

14, at the American Society of Nutritional Sciences program, part of

the Experimental Biology 2003 meeting.

" While previous studies in the early days of stomach reduction

surgery found bone loss following major weight loss, our current

study found something surprising - that daily supplements of 1,000 mg

of calcium and a vitamin D-rich multivitamin do not prevent the

imbalance in bone cell turnover in post-surgical patients resulting

in subsequent bone loss, " said the researcher who presented the

results, Penelope Coates, MD, postdoctoral fellow at the University

of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment

Center.

Participants in the study included 18 women and nine men who had

undergone successful stomach reduction operations 10 months before

and a control group of morbidly obese men and women who were waiting

for the same type of surgery.

Measurements of certain metabolic proteins in the urine showed that

the heavier, pre-operative patients were keeping their bone cells in

balance, with new cells replacing old cells in equal amounts - a

normal and continuous process in healthy adults. On the other hand,

the post-operative research participants, who had been losing 8 to 10

pounds a month since their surgery, showed significant imbalance in

bone turnover, with the regeneration of new cells lagging behind the

destruction of old cells.

Dr. Coates and her colleagues then followed six individuals from the

control group, measuring blood proteins and getting bone density

readings at the hip and spine before their surgery and at three and

six months following surgery. The researchers found that at six

months, the study participants experienced up to an 8 percent drop in

bone density in their hips. While such a difference can be normal for

people losing significant amounts of weight, it could have

devastating effects if the bone loss continued at that rate while a

person continued to drop pounds.

The researchers also found that those who lost the most weight had

the greatest imbalance in bone turnover, placing that group at

greatest risk of bone loss and osteoporosis. Age, sex, and hormone

status, including whether women were pre- or post-menopausal, were

not factors.

Dr. Coates and the research team are now trying to determine if the

weight loss itself causes the problem or if the patients who lost the

most weight are less efficient in absorbing calcium.

" Regardless of the reason for the imbalance in bone turnover, this

study sends a clear message that major weight loss requires ongoing

calcium and vitamin supplementation, as well as early and regular

monitoring for bone loss, " Dr. Coates said. " These are young

patients, and many of them have 40 or 50 years of life in front of

them. At a time when they are losing weight and looking forward to

new opportunities, they don't want to have problems with

osteoporosis. "

The researchers will soon begin a larger longitudinal study at the

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Osteoporosis Prevention and

Treatment Center to further investigate bone loss in individuals who

undergo stomach-reduction surgery.

opo

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/30/2003 10:38:54 AM Central Daylight Time,

butterflye@... writes:

> A friend of mine who is waiting for her DS surgery sent me this. What I

> noticed right away is that there is no mention of the type of calcium

> supplement the patients in the study were using. Still, it's worth noting

> that someone is actually studying post-op nutrition.

-------------------------------------

Another very important thing it does not mention is whether the 1000mg of

calcium is pure, elemental calcium. If it is not, then these subjects are not

taking anywhere near enough calcium, regardless of what form it's in.

Carol A